cliff? >> officials hearsay there is still time to reach an agreement. they say there has been progress. republicans are now agreeing to incrows tax revenue even though they still don't want to raise tax rates. the folks here shrug off the fact there hasn't been a meeting of the president in a couple of weeks. and they suggest there won't need to be a meeting until republicans are ready to give in. >> it is our view that simply having conversations c congressional leaders will not produce a deal. what will produce a deal is an acknowledgment by republicans, republican leaders that rates on the top two percent, the wealthiest americans have to rise. there is no deal without that acknowledgment. >> the treasury secretary gite neither says the -- tab eitner says they are ready to go over the cliff. if republicans won't let the tax cuts expire, they say it is not a threat. shepherd? >> it is easy to say why they would be making those statements when there was a recent survey that showed 53% of p